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University of Houston Law Center
Last updated: September 22, 2026
Contents
- 1 University of Houston Law Center
- 1.1 University of Houston Law Center at a Glance
- 1.2 Introduction
- 1.3 Rankings and Reputation
- 1.4 Admissions: What It Takes to Get In
- 1.5 Cost, Scholarships, and Debt
- 1.6 Employment Outcomes
- 1.7 Academics and Programs
- 1.8 Student Life and Location
- 1.9 How UHLC Compares
- 1.10 The TLS Verdict
- 1.11 Frequently Asked Questions
- 1.11.1 How hard is it to get into the University of Houston Law Center?
- 1.11.2 What LSAT score is competitive for UHLC?
- 1.11.3 What GPA do UHLC applicants typically have?
- 1.11.4 Does UHLC accept the GRE?
- 1.11.5 Does UHLC give scholarships?
- 1.11.6 Does UHLC have conditional scholarships?
- 1.11.7 What is UHLC's bar passage rate?
- 1.11.8 Is UHLC good for Big Law?
- 1.11.9 Does UHLC offer a part-time J.D.?
- 1.11.10 What is the tuition at UHLC?
- 1.11.11 What is UHLC best known for?
- 1.12 Contact and Key Links
- 1.13 TLS Forum Links
- 1.14 Sources
University of Houston Law Center
The University of Houston Law Center is a public law school in Houston, Texas, that enrolled a first-year class of 249 students in Fall 2025 from 3,510 completed applications, with a median LSAT of 163 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.79. It is ranked #54 (tie) in the 2026 U.S. News rankings, up nine places, and it holds three top-10 national specialty rankings — part-time law (#5), intellectual property (#7), and health care law (#9). The central decision issue for admitted applicants is that UHLC pairs unusually low in-state cost and a locked tuition rate with national specialty strength in a top-five U.S. legal market, while placing roughly 85% of graduates into full-time, long-term bar-required jobs almost entirely within Texas.
Forum Links
University of Houston Law Center at a Glance
| Category | Latest information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1947 |
| Type | Public |
| ABA approval or accreditation | ABA approved (Council of the Section of Legal Education) |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Latest U.S. News rank | #54 tie (2026 edition) |
| Latest completed applications | 3,510 (Fall 2025, 2025 509 report) |
| Latest acceptance rate | 22.99% (Fall 2025) |
| Latest LSAT median | 163 (Fall 2025) |
| Latest GPA median | 3.79 (Fall 2025) |
| Latest entering class | 249 (Fall 2025) |
| Current tuition (2026–27) | $36,721.68 resident / $51,446.68 non-resident (full-time, 31 hours) |
| Current estimated cost of attendance | $65,707.68 resident / $87,839.82 non-resident (2025–26, full-time) |
| Latest first-time bar passage | 84.45% (2025 graduates, ABA Bar Admission Report); 88.6% (U.S. News profile) |
| Latest bar-required employment | 84.9% full-time, long-term bar-required; 89.9% including J.D. advantage (Class of 2025) |
| Current dean | Leonard M. Baynes |
The admissions figures are drawn from the Law Center's 2025 ABA Standard 509 Information Report (3,510 completed applications, 807 offers, 22.99% acceptance rate, 249 in the first-year class as of October 2025). Tuition and cost data are from the Law Center's tuition and cost-of-attendance pages; because UHLC is a public institution, resident and non-resident rates are reported separately throughout this profile. Leonard M. Baynes, appointed in 2014, is the ninth dean of the Law Center, the first dean of African descent in its history, the holder of the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Chair, and currently the longest-serving law dean in Texas; he was named to The National Jurist's list of the most influential people in legal education for 2025–2026. Greg Vetter serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Sondra Tennessee as Associate Dean of Alumni and Community Relations.
Introduction
The University of Houston Law Center, founded in 1947, is the law school of the University of Houston and one of the largest public-university law schools in Texas. It occupies the John M. O'Quinn Law Building at 4170 Martin Luther King Blvd. on the university's main campus, roughly three miles southeast of downtown Houston.
UHLC's identity rests on three pillars: national-caliber specialty programs in intellectual property, health care law, and dispute resolution that are ranked first in Texas; a cost structure — especially for Texas residents, whose tuition is locked at the rate in force when they matriculate — that is among the lowest in the top 60 nationally; and placement strength in Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States and one of the largest legal markets in the country. Its roughly 18,000 living alumni, its 61 full-time faculty, and its position in a Tier 1 Carnegie research university support those outcomes.
Rankings and Reputation
The University of Houston Law Center is ranked #54 (tie) in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report law school rankings, a nine-place climb that puts the school within striking distance of its stated goal of top-50 standing. The school's reputation among large-firm employers is also strong: it is a top-35 school for graduates working at Big Law firms and a #27 "Go-To Law School" in Law.com's annual ranking of graduates hired as associates by the largest 100 U.S. firms.
Overall ranking
| U.S. News edition | UHLC rank |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 54 (tie) |
| 2025 | 63 (derived from the Law Center's own statement that it climbed nine spots in the 2026 edition) |
Earlier ranks were not independently confirmed in the sources reviewed. Applicants should treat movement within the 50–65 band as largely immaterial to UHLC's practical career outcomes, which are driven by Texas-market employment data and by specialty-program reputation rather than by overall rank position.
Specialty rankings
| Program | U.S. News 2026 rank | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Part-time Law Program | #5 | #1 in Texas |
| Intellectual Property Law | #7 | Up five spots; #1 in Texas |
| Health Care Law | #9 | #1 in Texas |
| Trial Advocacy | #16 | Up 13 spots |
| Legal Writing | #22 | #1 in Texas |
| Dispute Resolution | #24 | |
| Tax Law | #31 | Up 10 spots |
| Graduates working at Big Law firms | #35 | |
| Environmental Law | #39 | |
| International Law | #41 | Up 30 points |
| Contracts / Commercial Law | #42 | Up 11 points |
UHLC has 11 specialty programs ranked in the top 50 nationwide and holds the No. 1 spot in Texas in four categories: part-time law, health care law, intellectual property, and legal writing.
Other rankings and recognition
- #9 among U.S. law schools for return on investment, according to LawCrossing and highlighted by the ABA Journal (2025)
- #21 in U.S. News's 2024 "24 Law Schools Where You Can Pay Off Your Debt"
- #27 Go-To Law School, Law.com (2026) — share of graduates hired as associates by the 100 largest U.S. firms
- #28 in career employment opportunities, TaxProf Blog analysis of 2024 Princeton Review rankings
- #34 in the 2025 Above the Law Top 50 school rankings
- An "A" in The National Jurist's 2025 Best Schools for Law Firm Employment rankings, placing among just 12 schools nationwide and three in Texas
- Top 10 LL.M. programs worldwide in Health/Medical Law, Energy Law, and Global Law, plus a "Top Budget LL.M." designation, LLM Guide (2025); Tax Law LL.M. recognized in Corporate Counsel's "Best of 2020"
- Carnegie Tier 1 research university; Phi Beta Kappa chapter granted in 2015
- Multiple preLaw magazine commendations, including Top School for Intellectual Property Law (2025–2026 and 2024–2025), Top School for Health Law (2025–2026 and 2022–2023), Top School for Tax Law (2025–2026), Top School for International Law (2025–2026), Top School for Law Firm Employment (2025–2026), Best Value Law School (2025–2026), Best Schools for Social Justice (2025–2026), Best Building (2026 and 2024), and Top School for Alternative Dispute Resolution (2024–2025)
Admissions: What It Takes to Get In
Entering class (Fall 2025)
| Admissions metric | Fall 2025 |
|---|---|
| Completed applications | 3,510 |
| Offers of admission | 807 |
| Acceptance rate | 22.99% |
| Enrollees from applicant pool | 246 |
| Total in first-year class | 249 |
| Yield (enrollees / offers) | 30.48% |
The first-year class is divided between the full-time and part-time evening divisions: 219 full-time and 30 part-time students. Twenty-five transfer students (up from 19 the previous year) and one visiting student also joined the Law Center. Dean Baynes has described the entering class as the strongest in the Law Center's history, and the school reports that 83.5% of entering students are first-generation law students, with more than 20% being first-generation both as undergraduates and as law students.
LSAT and GPA
| Statistic | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT (full-time) | 161 | 163 | 165 |
| LSAT (part-time) | 155 | 160 | 164 |
| Undergraduate GPA (full-time) | 3.56 | 3.78 | 3.90 |
| Undergraduate GPA (part-time) | 3.54 | 3.85 | 3.92 |
UHLC accepts the GRE in addition to the LSAT; scores may be no more than five years old, and the GRE school code is 4360. JD-Next is not listed as an accepted alternative on the Law Center's admissions page.
Interpreting the numbers
A 163 median LSAT paired with a 22.99% acceptance rate places UHLC in the selective-but-accessible band of the public flagship law schools. The part-time division runs a materially wider range — a 155 25th-percentile LSAT alongside a 165 75th percentile (full-time) — because it is designed for working applicants. Roughly 42% of all offers are accepted, but the school's yield of 30.48% reflects the intensely competitive Texas market in which it competes with several other strong in-state options. No LSAT or GPA guarantees admission given the holistic review.
Application timing
The application fee is $70 and is currently waived for all applicants. Early Decision — available for both the full-time and part-time evening programs — has a November 15 deadline; the Regular Decision deadline for full-time applicants is March 15, and the deadline for the part-time evening program is May 15.
Applicants must submit a completed application through LSAC, a personal statement of two to three pages double-spaced, a resume, a recent LSAT or GRE score no older than five years, transcripts for all colleges and universities attended through the Credential Assembly Service, and at least two but no more than three letters of recommendation.
Cost, Scholarships, and Debt
Tuition
Because UHLC is a public law school, tuition differs sharply between Texas residents and non-residents. The Law Center publishes a locked tuition rate: entering tuition rates remain the same while students complete the requirements for their degree, eliminating annual increases across the three-year full-time or four-year part-time course of study.
Official 1L tuition and fees, 2025–26 (ABA Standard 509 report)
| Program | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time, Texas resident | $31,326 | $7,896 | $39,222 |
| Full-time, non-resident | $46,051 | $7,896 | $53,947 |
| Part-time, Texas resident | $21,221 | $6,448 | $27,669 |
| Part-time, non-resident | $31,196 | $6,448 | $37,644 |
Estimated tuition for JD students entering Fall 2026 (published by the Law Center)
| Term | Resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time — Fall (15 hours) | $17,785.20 | $24,910.20 |
| Full-time — Spring (16 hours) | $18,936.48 | $26,536.48 |
| Full-time — Academic Year (31 hours) | $36,721.68 | $51,446.68 |
| Part-time — Fall (11 hours) | $13,180.08 | $18,405.08 |
| Part-time — Spring (10 hours) | $12,028.80 | $16,778.80 |
| Part-time — Academic Year (21 hours) | $25,208.88 | $35,183.88 |
| Summer (6 hours) | $7,423.68 | $10,273.68 |
Fees are estimated and subject to change. Optional expenses for parking, health insurance, and international fees are not included. The two tables use different reporting bases — the 509 figures represent the officially reported 2025–26 charge including fees, while the Fall 2026 table projects tuition for a defined credit load — and should not be combined.
Cost of attendance
| Enrollment level | Resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (31 hours), 2025–26 | $65,707.68 | $87,839.82 |
| Part-time (21 hours), 2025–26 | $54,194.88 | $64,169.88 |
| Part-time summer (6 hours), 2025–26 | $13,620.68 | $24,886.18 |
These budgets cover tuition and fees plus estimated books and living expenses on an off-campus, nine-month basis. The line-item breakdown of individual components such as housing, food, transportation, and personal expenses was not published in machine-readable form in the sources reviewed; the totals above are the Law Center's official figures.
Financial aid
Per the 2025 Standard 509 report, 600 students received grants against a grant-reporting base of 811 students — approximately 74% of the J.D. population. The median grant was $11,500, with a 25th percentile of $4,000 and a 75th percentile of $16,900. This is broad coverage with comparatively modest median awards: UHLC spreads aid across the class rather than concentrating large scholarships, which is consistent with its low sticker price.
- Every admitted J.D. applicant is reviewed for merit aid with no separate scholarship application.
- Named and programmatic awards include Dean's Scholarships, varying in number and amount each year, and at least two Dean's Teach for America Scholarships. These are renewable for all three years (full-time) or four years (part-time) with continuous enrollment and good academic standing. Merit award levels for entering JD students run $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, or $10,000 per academic year, based on factors including financial need and GPA.
- No conditional scholarships: the Law Center states that it does not award scholarships that may be reduced or eliminated on the basis of academic performance other than failure to maintain good academic standing, so no conditional-scholarship retention chart applies.
- UHLC uniquely houses a financial-aid advisor inside the Law Center who serves only law students.
- The financial-aid priority date is April 1; missing it means losing first consideration for grants and Perkins loans.
Debt perspective
Federal borrowing for professional students is limited to unsubsidized Direct Loans of $20,500 per academic year, not to exceed the cost of education, plus Grad PLUS loans, which are credit-based. The Law Center's financial-aid guidance warns explicitly that relying on financial aid with no personal resources "will make your financial situation very difficult" — a caution worth noting given that the non-resident full-time budget approaches $88,000 per year.
The Law Center's average graduate indebtedness figure and any Loan Repayment Assistance Program were not independently confirmed in the sources reviewed this cycle and are therefore not stated here; applicants should request both directly from the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office. What is verified is the structural advantage: a full-time Texas resident pays $36,721.68 in tuition for an academic year against a median private-practice starting salary of $200,000 for the Class of 2025, and the locked rate prevents that tuition from rising during the degree.
Employment Outcomes
Employment (Class of 2025)
The Class of 2025 placed strongly and almost entirely within the Texas market. Of 238 graduates, 226 were employed — a 95.0% employment rate — and 202 of them held full-time, long-term positions requiring bar admission. Notably, only 10 graduates were in law-school-funded positions (1 bar-required and 9 J.D. advantage), meaning the placement record is overwhelmingly market-funded rather than propped up by school-created jobs.
| Employment metric | Class of 2025 |
|---|---|
| Total graduates | 238 |
| Employed | 226 (95.0%) |
| Full-time, long-term bar-admission-required | 202 (84.9%) |
| Full-time, long-term bar-required plus J.D. advantage | 214 (89.9%) |
| Enrolled in graduate studies | 1 |
| Employment start date after March 16, 2026 | 1 |
| Unemployed — seeking | 8 (3.4%) |
| Unemployed — not seeking | 2 |
| Employment status unknown | 0 |
| Employed in law-school-funded positions | 10 |
Dean Baynes, discussing the cohort included in the most recent U.S. News analysis, cited a 94% employment rate ten months after graduation.
Employer types (226 employed graduates)
| Sector | Number |
|---|---|
| Law firms — all sizes | 162 |
| of which: 501+ attorneys ("Big Law") | 61 |
| Government | 23 |
| Business and industry | 15 |
| Public interest | 10 |
| Education | 8 |
| Clerkships — Federal | 4 |
| Clerkships — State, Local, and Territorial | 3 |
| Employer type unknown | 1 |
| Total | 226 |
Law firm hiring by firm size
| Firm size | Number |
|---|---|
| Solo | 0 |
| 1–10 attorneys | 35 |
| 11–25 attorneys | 27 |
| 26–50 attorneys | 7 |
| 51–100 attorneys | 16 |
| 101–250 attorneys | 11 |
| 251–500 attorneys | 4 |
| 501+ attorneys | 61 |
| Unknown size | 1 |
| Total law firm hires | 162 |
Salary data — NALP, Class of 2025 (full-time long-term employment; approximately 95% of employed graduates reported, 163 salary records)
| Employer type | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All employed graduates | $92,000 | $125,000 | $225,000 | $149,681 |
| Private practice | $110,000 | $200,000 | $225,000 | $171,396 |
| Government | — | $72,000 | — | — |
| Judicial clerkships | — | $72,000 | — | — |
| Business and industry | — | $110,000 | — | — |
| Education | — | $65,000 | — | — |
What these numbers mean
The defining feature of UHLC's outcomes is a bimodal salary structure: a $200,000 median in private practice driven by the 61 graduates who joined firms of 501 or more attorneys, set against $65,000–$72,000 medians in education, government, and judicial clerkships. Houston's large-firm market — the city hosts a dense cluster of Am Law and Texas-based firms — absorbs most of that top tier. The verified near-total absence of school-funded positions means these figures reflect genuine employer demand rather than institutional bridge jobs. Federal clerkship placement is modest at 4 of 238 graduates, which is consistent with the school's market-driven, firm-oriented profile.
Bar passage
| Bar statistic | 2025 graduates |
|---|---|
| First-time bar admission rate (ABA Bar Admission Report, dated March 2, 2026) | 84.45% (201 of 238) |
| Council weighted average for comparison | 82.55% (+1.90 points) |
| Texas first-time rate | 84.19% (234 takers; state average for Council-accredited schools 82.67%) |
| First-time rate in the four remaining jurisdictions | 100.00% (4 takers) |
| First-time bar passage rate (U.S. News profile) | 88.6% |
| Average first-time passage among states where graduates sat | 81.3% |
| Ultimate bar passage (2-year average, U.S. News) | 93.1% |
Two-year ultimate bar admission (ABA Standard 316 requires at least 75%)
| Graduation year | Graduates | Sat within two years | Passed | Ultimate rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 234 | 225 | 211 | 93.78% |
| 2022 | 208 | 205 | 190 | 92.68% |
| 2021 | 205 | 199 | 186 | 93.47% |
UHLC reported zero graduates admitted through alternative pathways to licensure in 2023, 2024, and 2025, so the figures above reflect conventional bar-examination outcomes. For context, the Law Center's summer 2024 Texas first-time rate was 91%, its highest in 11 years at the time. The gap between the 84.45% ABA figure and the 88.6% U.S. News figure reflects differing methodologies — the ABA report counts all first-time takers across every jurisdiction, while U.S. News uses a composite measure. Both place UHLC above the national state average of roughly 81–85%.
Where graduates go
| Location | Number |
|---|---|
| Texas (largest employment state) | 211 |
| New York (second largest) | 3 |
| Massachusetts (third largest) | 2 |
| Employed in foreign countries | 1 |
Employment is overwhelmingly Texan — 211 of 226 employed graduates stayed in state — with only a token presence in New York and Massachusetts. The school notes that Texas is the second-largest legal market in the United States, which supports this concentration, but applicants targeting the East Coast or West Coast should plan to build those networks independently.
Academics and Programs
The J.D. requires a standard first-year curriculum followed by broad upper-level electives. Full-time and part-time evening students are placed into shared sections and take all first-year courses together — an intentional design that emphasizes collaboration over competition.
Curriculum and special strengths
UHLC's academic identity is built around three nationally ranked specialty clusters. Intellectual property is the flagship: ranked #7 nationally, it benefits from Houston's energy, technology, and medical sectors. Health care law, ranked #9, draws on the Texas Medical Center — the largest medical complex in the world — which sits minutes from campus. Dispute resolution, ranked #24, is a long-standing strength. Tax law, ranked #31, includes an LL.M. recognized among the top programs in the country.
The Law Center offers nine dual-degree programs, including:
- J.D./LL.M.
- J.D./MBA (Bauer College of Business)
- J.D./M.A. in History
- J.D./MSW (Master of Social Work)
- J.D./MPH (UTHealth School of Public Health)
- J.D./M.D. with Baylor College of Medicine
- J.D./MPP (Hobby School of Public Affairs)
- J.D./MPA
- J.D./MSF (Master of Science in Finance)
Graduate legal education extends to LL.M. programs in health/medical law, energy law, global law, and tax law, several of them ranked among the top ten worldwide by LLM Guide.
Clinics and experiential learning
UHLC's clinical program has involved students in precedent-setting cases in state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Experiential offerings include in-house clinics, externships with nonprofits and government agencies, judicial internships with federal appellate and district courts and with state courts, moot court and advocacy competitions, and student-run journals. The Law Center's moot court program has been repeatedly recognized by preLaw magazine, and the school is consistently cited for practical training.
Faculty
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Full-time faculty | 61 |
| Non-full-time faculty | 209 |
| Total faculty | 270 |
| Computed J.D. students per full-time faculty member | Approximately 14:1 (838 J.D. students divided by 61 full-time faculty) |
| American Law Institute members | 18 professors |
| Scholarship | 15 faculty members published in top-30 law reviews between 2015 and 2023 |
Dean Baynes describes the faculty as holding "exceptional academic credentials" and producing "outstanding academic legal scholarship," noting that many recent hires hold multiple advanced degrees in addition to a J.D.
Student Life and Location
Living in Houston
UHLC sits on the University of Houston's main campus, a short drive from downtown Houston — the fourth-largest city in the United States and one of the largest legal markets in the country. The city hosts Fortune 500 headquarters, the world's largest medical complex, and a globally significant energy and international commerce sector, which together generate the externship, clinic, and employment opportunities that underpin the school's specialty programs.
Houston is frequently cited among the most affordable major U.S. metropolitan areas, with a cost of living below that of comparable large legal markets, and the Law Center's living-expense budgets reflect that. The trade-offs are heat and humidity for much of the academic year, a car-dependent city, and the reality that Houston's legal market, though large, is less nationally portable than New York's or Washington's.
Student body
With a total J.D. enrollment of 838 across the full-time and part-time divisions — the 509 report's grant table uses a base of 811 students — and a first-year class of 249, UHLC is a mid-sized law school by national standards and among the larger public law schools in Texas. The part-time evening division is a distinctive feature: it typically takes four years to complete, with first-year courses taught in the evening, and it draws working professionals from Houston's energy, medical, and business communities. Student life spans legal clinics, advocacy competitions, externships, journals, student organizations, and leadership opportunities.
The Law Center's entering class is 83.5% first-generation law students, and more than 20% are first-generation both as undergraduates and as law students — an unusually high figure that shapes the school's advising culture. The Fall 2025 LL.M. cohort of 44 students included 35 international students from 18 countries, topped by Mexico with six and Pakistan with four.
How UHLC Compares
Choose UHLC if
- You are a Texas resident: at $36,721.68 in locked annual tuition against a $200,000 median private-practice salary, UHLC offers one of the strongest cost-to-outcome calculations of any top-60 law school.
- You want a nationally ranked specialty — intellectual property (#7), health care law (#9), or part-time law (#5) — at in-state prices.
- You need a part-time or evening program, which very few schools in UHLC's rank band offer at this quality.
- You intend to practice in Texas, where UHLC's alumni network, employer ties, and #27 Go-To Law School ranking deliver a deep hiring pipeline.
Consider alternatives if
- You are a non-resident paying near-full price: the estimated full-time budget approaches $88,000 per year, which erases much of the value advantage.
- You are targeting a non-Texas market — 211 of 226 employed 2025 graduates stayed in state, so out-of-state placement requires independent effort.
- You want a small, intimate cohort; at 838 J.D. students UHLC is materially larger than many private peers.
- You are primarily targeting federal clerkships, where UHLC placed 4 of 238 graduates.
The TLS Verdict
The University of Houston Law Center is one of the strongest value propositions in American legal education for Texas residents: a top-54 school with three top-10 specialty programs — intellectual property, health care law, and part-time law, all No. 1 in Texas — charging locked annual tuition of $36,721.68 against a private-practice median starting salary of $200,000, while placing 89.9% of its Class of 2025 into full-time, long-term bar-required or J.D.-advantage positions with essentially no school-funded employment. The principal trade-offs are geographic concentration (211 of 226 employed graduates stayed in Texas), an out-of-state price of roughly $88,000 per year that materially changes the calculus for non-residents, a first-time bar pass rate of 84.45% that sits below the school's own 2024 and 2023 results, and a large cohort by private-school standards. For applicants targeting Houston or Texas practice — particularly in IP, health law, or energy — UHLC is among the most compelling choices available, and a non-resident weighing it against a similarly ranked private school should compare the full three-year cost before deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is it to get into the University of Houston Law Center?
Moderately selective: for Fall 2025, UHLC accepted 22.99% of applicants (807 offers from 3,510 completed applications), and 246 enrolllees plus transfers produced a first-year class of 249.
What LSAT score is competitive for UHLC?
The median LSAT for the Fall 2025 entering class was 163, with a middle-50% range of 161 to 165 for full-time students. The part-time division's range is wider — 155 to 164 — because it serves working applicants. Scores at or above 163 are competitive, but no score guarantees admission given the holistic review.
What GPA do UHLC applicants typically have?
The median undergraduate GPA for the Fall 2025 entering class was 3.79, with a middle-50% range of 3.56 to 3.90 for full-time students and 3.54 to 3.92 for part-time students.
Does UHLC accept the GRE?
Yes. UHLC accepts either the LSAT or the GRE, with scores no older than five years. The GRE school code is 4360.
Does UHLC give scholarships?
Yes, broadly but in moderate amounts. Per the 2025 ABA 509 report, 600 students received grants against a reporting base of 811 — about 74% of the J.D. population — with a median grant of $11,500 and a 75th percentile of $16,900. Every admitted applicant is automatically considered; no separate application is required.
Does UHLC have conditional scholarships?
No. The Law Center states that it does not award scholarships that may be reduced or eliminated based on academic performance other than failure to maintain good academic standing.
What is UHLC's bar passage rate?
For 2025 graduates, the ABA first-time bar admission rate was 84.45% (201 of 238), 1.90 points above the Council weighted average of 82.55%; the U.S. News profile reports 88.6% first-time and 93.1% ultimate passage. On the Texas bar specifically, 234 graduates sat with an 84.19% first-time pass rate.
Is UHLC good for Big Law?
Reasonably good and improving. UHLC is ranked #35 nationally for graduates working at Big Law firms, and 61 of 226 employed 2025 graduates — 27% of the employed class — joined firms of 501 or more attorneys, with a $200,000 median private-practice starting salary. It is a #27 "Go-To Law School" by Law.com's measure, but it is a regional rather than a national BigLaw pipeline.
Does UHLC offer a part-time J.D.?
Yes. The part-time evening program typically takes four years, with first-year courses taught in the evening, and it is ranked #5 nationally and #1 in Texas. Full-time and part-time students share first-year sections.
What is the tuition at UHLC?
For students entering Fall 2026, full-time tuition is $36,721.68 for Texas residents and $51,446.68 for non-residents for the 31-hour academic year; part-time is $25,208.88 resident and $35,183.88 non-resident for 21 hours. Tuition is locked at the entering rate — it does not increase while a student completes the degree.
What is UHLC best known for?
Intellectual property law (#7 nationally), health care law (#9), a top-5 part-time program, exceptional value for Texas residents, and deep placement in the Houston legal market.
Contact and Key Links
University of Houston Law Center
John M. O'Quinn Law Building, 4170 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Houston, TX 77204-6060
Main Phone: 713-743-2100
Financial Aid & Scholarship Office: 713-743-2269
Financial Aid Email: [email protected]
FAFSA Federal School Code: 003652
Official links
- University of Houston Law Center — Official Website
- J.D. Admissions
- Application Process and Deadlines
- Part-Time Evening J.D. Program
- ABA Required Disclosures (Consumer Information)
- Latest ABA Standard 509 Report
- Rankings
TLS Forum Links
Sources
- University of Houston Law Center — Official Website
- University of Houston Law Center — 2025 ABA Standard 509 Information Report
- University of Houston Law Center — Bar Passage Report (ABA Bar Admission Report, March 2026)
- University of Houston Law Center — Cost of Attendance
- University of Houston Law Center — Financial Aid and Scholarships
- University of Houston Law Center — Financial Aid FAQ
- University of Houston Law Center — Merit Scholarships for Entering JD Students
- University of Houston Law Center — JD Admissions Process
- U.S. News — University of Houston Law Center Profile
